The Runner’s Plate Guest Post: Pre-Marathon Nutrition

Hey, Twin Cities Runner readers!

I'm Michelle from The Runner's Plate, and Nate has asked me to write a guest post for you guys. Nate mentioned that he thought it would be great if I shared what I eat prior to running a marathon. I just completed my 8th marathon--Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN. My race didn't go as planned (It was very warm for racing a marathon.), but I still managed a 3:12 finish time, which is my second fastest marathon.

Fifteen or so years ago, it seemed as though carb-loading was the thing to do--partaking in large amounts of carbohydrates several days out from a race.  (Or maybe I just thought it was trendy because we always had pasta parties the night before our meets in high school.) More recently it seems like people continue to eat what they normally do on a day-to-day basis and don't try to do anything special with their diet prior to a big race.

As an endurance athlete I've tried both, and I wanted to share my experiences about each approach and the pros and cons of them.

My regular diet consists of whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, ample fruits and vegetables, and a little bit of dairy. I don't eat a ton of meat, but I am not a vegetarian. I don't dabble in fad diets but instead aim to eat a wide variety of foods and make 95% healthy choices.

For my first seven marathons—and any half-marathon, 10K, 5K, or any other race I've run, I have continued to eat the type of foods listed above. I might consume a few extra carbs two days before a marathon, but other than that I haven’t eaten a sky-high plate of spaghetti noodles the night before the race. I have had spaghetti the night before, but I always made sure to balance it out with a meat sauce, salad, and some fruit.

The biggest pro of sticking with what you know works for your body is that you won't risk having any stomach discomfort or GI distress come race day. It is safe. There are too many other factors to worry about on race day and your nutrition isn't something you want to toy with on such an important day.

I think this is definitely a good approach for new runners and those who are embarking on the marathon distance for the first time. The one drawback might be that you may not be filling the glycogen stores to the max. The more carbohydrates available for your body to tap into, the more energy your body will have on race day. This is the reason people carb-load: they try to max out their glycogen stores so that during competition their body will have ample energy to fuel their long distance race.

For my most recent marathon (Grandma's Marathon), I tried a carb-deplete followed by a period of carb-loading. Six days out from the marathon, I depleted my glycogen stores by eating only fats and proteins for three days and then ate a high portion of carbohydrates for the next three days. The idea is to deplete the glycogen stores and then trick your body into thinking it needs to replenish the glycogen stores with a higher percentage than it normally carries.

During the carb-deplete, 90% of my calories came from protein and fats. Here are some things I ate:

• eggs
• avocados
• bacon
• pork sausage
• tuna + mashed avocado
• chicken breast
• mahi-mahi
• protein powder mixed with water (milk has carbs)
• almond milk
• almonds, cashews, peanuts
• peanut butter

After three days of eating only protein and fats, I then consumed a large amount of carbs to restock those glycogen stores. I aimed to consumed 350 - 400 grams of carbohydrates each day, which still allowed me to eat some fats and proteins in my diet. Examples of what I ate:

• bagel with jam
• pasta with butter and salt and pepper
• muffins
• graham crackers
• cereal
• pretty much all the carbs I often feel like I usually can’t justify eating

When it came to my race day, the conditions weren't ideal for racing (too hot and too humid), so unfortunately my body wasn't able to respond in the right way to see if the carb-deplete/carb-load worked properly. I plan to try this diet again for my next marathon, so I will be interested to see if I feel different.

I would only suggest this carb-deplete/carb-load diet for an experienced runner and someone who has run a handful of marathons already. I didn't experience any negative effects from this diet, but I have heard of some people feeling bloated from the extra carbohydrates. It is very important to drink plenty of water during the carb-load stage as your body can only absorb carbohydrates with enough water.

All in all, you should ultimately do what works for you and your body. You know your body the best and are the one who can determine if something does or does not work.

Best of luck to all of you racing this summer. If you need guidance on a running plan, I do offer individualized running programs for people of all abilities. Check out my blog for more information: www.therunnersplate.com.

Olympic Hopeful Heather Kampf

Photo from: goheatherkampf.com

Heather Kampf, of Team USA Minnesota, is ready. Kampf will be competing in  U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track and Field in Eugene, Oregon. This year, she’s feeling good about her chance at making the team in the 1500m run.

On a Saturday morning, I joined Heather and her husband Ben on a run around Minneapolis. Kampf gained online notoriety following her fall and recovery in the 600m run at the 2008 Big Ten Indoor Track Championships (this video gives me goosebumps every time).

“Do you get tired of talking about that race?” I asked.

“I’m OK with it,” she said. “If I’m going to be known as a gritty fighter who never gives up--that’s fine with me.”

“[That race] is something anyone can relate to,” said Ben. “A businessman, he could say, ‘She didn’t give up.’ They could be inspired by that.”

Kampf will bring her 600m speed to the US Olympic trials on July 7. “Runner’s World” lists Shannon Rowburry and Jenny Simpson as the two favorites, and gives a nod to Shelby Houlihan, Morgan Uceny, and Brenda Martinez fighting for the third spot on the team.

As we ran toward Lake Nokomis, Heather talked about her chances of making the Olympic team. “I think I’ve had season that’s been just enough under the radar,” she said, “that people aren’t thinking about me. It’s fun to go into this race without the pre-race publicity and pressure.”

Kampf is currently ranked twelfth among 1500m qualifiers, although she finished fourth at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships in March of this year. Kampf doesn’t focus too much on the competition. “You can only control yourself,” says Kampf. “You can choose how you affect the race, rather than letting the race happen to you.”

At the 2012 Olympic trials, Kampf finished 7th in the 800m run. “In the past,” said Kampf, “I’d tell people I had an outside chance of making the team. Now, just based on my workouts, fitness, where my head's at, and what I believe in my heart...I would be sincerely disappointed if I didn't make the team.”

Kampf is no stranger to winning. She has won high school state championships in both the 800m and 400m. In college, she was a finalist in the 800m in every NCAA indoor and outdoor championship, and finished first, second, or third six times. She is also a four time winner of the U.S. road mile title (read about it on Runner’s World).

Track wasn’t always Kampf’s favorite sport. “In a former life I was a gymnast. I loved watching gymnastics at the Olympics and I dreamed of what it would be like to compete there,” she said. “I started running track my freshman year of high school, and though I had the kind of initial success to expect a future in the sport… I don't think I really considered shooting for the Olympic level of running until I was in college.”

Kampf enjoys the camaraderie of Team USA Minnesota. “Our coach, Dennis Barker, takes the time to write a program that is tailor-made for each of us,” says Kampf, “but it's great to be able to show up to the track and have warm-up and cool-down buddies.”

Coach Barker has high expectations for Kampf:

“Heather is unique in that she has the fastest 400m speed of any woman we have had on the team. So we have worked to keep that speed while improving her endurance to give her more tools to use in the 1500 meters. She took a big step this winter by running her first 3,000 meter race ever in 8:58. Early in the outdoor season she ran 4:04 for 1500 meters, then last week she ran one of her fastest 800 meter races 2:00.55. So we feel she is well-prepared for the Olympic Trials, where there will be a prelim, semi-final and final within a four day period.”

When she’s not training with the team, Kampf keeps busy with her two dogs, speaking, and running with her husband, Ben. The first round of the women’s 1500m run takes place on July 7, and the finals take place on July 10.

You can see a full schedule on the USATF Website. For a TV and streaming schedule, go to the NBC Olympics Website.